Patty Clark just wants her puppy back.
“I don’t care about the money, I just want my puppy back,” she said while holding back tears. “I feel like I’ve been really naïve.”
This week, Clark posted an ad on the Raytown Swap and Shop offering to sell one of her 8-week-old Yorkies. Her older dog had a litter of five and Clark said could not take care of them all. Her inbox was soon full of interested buyers, including a mother of young twins.
“She was a very nice lady. The kids were well-behaved, you know, they were nice and they just fell in love with the dogs. She asked me if I would take a check and I told her I would.”
Clark said she asked for the woman’s ID and accepted the $350 check. The business deal seemed good until Clark went to cash the check the next day. The bank would not accept it - it was a phony check.
“I’ve left lots of messages and I can’t get an answer back,” said Clark, who estimates she’s called the buyer at least 50 times.
41 Action News called two different numbers listed for the woman. Both times, no one answered. 41 Action News also attempted to knock at her last known address, but neighbors said the woman had recently moved.
According to court records, the address on the check matched the address of a woman who has been in trouble with the law before.
- In Missouri, the same woman was convicted of forgery in 2009.
- In Texas, she was convicted of forgery in 2006 and theft in 2010.
Clark has filed a police report and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office is investigating. No one has been officially charged.
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